Chapter 473

Si Nian: "?"

Just a moment ago, when told to go prepare some, she had claimed she couldn't afford formula.

If she couldn't afford it, how could she afford to borrow it?

Zhou Zedong wiped his sweat. Hearing the voice, he turned his head to glance at the other party.

Only then did he notice a woman lying on the adjacent bed. Next to her, a baby was crying weakly.

He hadn't even noticed them earlier.

He looked at the woman, then at Si Nian, and asked, "Mom, do you know each other?"

Si Nian withdrew her gaze and chuckled at her son's question. "No, I don't."

Zhou Zedong's hand paused as he reached for the formula, and he pulled it back. "Then why is she trying to borrow formula from you?"

He had brought the formula for his younger sis... no, younger brother. The books he read said that mothers might not have milk right after giving birth, so to prevent the baby from going hungry, formula needed to be prepared in advance.

Because he was worried the baby would be hungry, he made sure to bring everything over.

His little brother hadn't even had any yet, so how could he let someone else drink it?

Zhou Zedong's words made the woman flush with embarrassment, her face turning beet red.

She immediately defended herself, "It's just because I didn't prepare any. I won't borrow much, just enough for today. It's not a lot. We're all in the same ward, isn't it good to help each other out? At worst, I'll just buy some and return it to you later."

She felt that since they were both women, helping each other out was no big deal.

Besides, she wasn't asking for much. If her daughter wasn't being so noisy, she wouldn't have wanted to borrow from anyone in the first place.

Si Nian nodded in agreement. "You're right."

The woman's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Si Nian gave a slight nod and said to her son, "Little Dong, just give her a whole can."

The woman's eyes widened in pleasant surprise. "T-this is too much, isn't it? Oh my, you're too kind..."

Such high-quality formula, she really hit the jackpot.

She never expected this woman to be so generous.

Zhou Zedong didn't say another word. He took out a can of formula, walked over, and handed it to the woman.

"Thank you, little one. You and your mom are such good people. May good people be blessed with peace."

Zhou Zedong looked at her calmly. "You're welcome, auntie. This can is eight yuan. Just give me the money, and it will save you a trip out to buy it."

The woman's excitedly outstretched hand froze, and her voice pitched up. "What? Eight yuan?"

Zhou Zedong looked at her strangely. "What else? Didn't you say you wanted to borrow it? We're giving it to you, so you just need to pay for it directly. That way, you won't have to go out of your way to buy it tomorrow. Did you actually expect us to give it to you for free?"

The woman's expression turned ugly. "I don't even need that much."

Zhou Zedong showed a look of disdain. "Even a child knows that free lunches don't fall from the sky. Why would you think we'd just give it to you for free?"

The woman's face immediately turned pale and green.

It was bad enough being lectured, but to be lectured by a child!

Flying into a humiliated rage, she snapped, "Then just lend me a little bit."

"You still have to pay for a little bit. If you can't afford it, I can give you fifty cents' worth."

"What? Fifty cents for just a little bit? Why don't you go rob someone! Unbelievable. This is the first time I've met such stingy people. It's one thing for the adult to be cheap, but even the child is a miser."

She cursed and grumbled.

Zhou Zedong's little face darkened. "Yes, we are stingy, but we are only stingy to strangers. Unlike you, who is even stingy to your own child."

After he finished speaking, he turned back to look at Si Nian and asked, "Mom, don't you agree? She's so stingy. She won't even spend fifty cents to buy formula for her own child, yet she calls us stingy. She's so weird."

Si Nian's eyes curved into a smile, her previously annoyed mood instantly lifting. "You're right. What right does someone who is stingy to her own child have to call others stingy?"

"Just ignore her."

Even if she were willing to give her some formula for the baby now.

What about tomorrow? And the day after?

She could help once, but she couldn't help for a lifetime.

So there was no need to invite trouble.

If the other party wanted formula, fine, then pay up.

Zhou Yueshen had bought the best formula available; a single can cost eight yuan.

She wasn't a fool. Why would she give it to a stranger she didn't know and would likely never see again?

Zhou Zedong carried the formula back.

Zhou Yueshen walked in carrying food. He saw that Si Nian had already finished feeding the little one and was talking to their eldest son.

"Mom, what do you want to eat? I'll make it for you tonight."

Si Nian: "I want to eat something spicy. My mouth feels tasteless, it's so uncomfortable."

Zhou Zedong furrowed his little brows and said, "But you can't eat spicy food right after giving birth."

Si Nian said with a miserable face, "Mom understands the logic, but my mouth just can't resist."

Zhou Zedong comforted her, "Mom, it's okay. You can eat some in a few days when you feel better, but you can only have a little bit."

He had read in the library that a mother could eat it forty-eight hours after giving birth, but only a tiny bit. If she was breastfeeding, she definitely couldn't eat it, as it would affect the baby.

But since Mom wanted to eat it, the little brother would just have to drink formula.

Besides, they had bought so much formula, it shouldn't go to waste.

If Mom couldn't eat delicious food, she would be unhappy.

Zhou Yueshen: "......"

Why did he feel like someone had stolen his lines?

He had just bought food and returned, thinking that Si Nian definitely wouldn't like the hospital food.

It was too bland.

But the doctor had instructed that she couldn't eat spicy or stimulating food right after giving birth.

She could only eat light, mild dishes.

He had already figured out how to comfort Si Nian.

But before he could even utter his prepared speech, his son stole his thunder.

Furthermore, he had planned to cook for her himself tomorrow.

But his son's cooking skills were currently even better than his own...

Si Nian would definitely prefer eating what their son made.

Zhou Yueshen: "......."

He coughed softly, stepped forward, and said, "Nian Nian, eat something."

Si Nian looked at the plain, watery food and sure enough, put on a miserable expression.

Zhou Yueshen was just about to speak when he heard his son say, "Mom, this doesn't taste as good as what I make."

Si Nian immediately agreed, "Of course, our Little Dong's cooking skills are good enough to be a head chef."

Her attention was diverted, and she ate while smiling, but stopped after just a few bites.

Zhou Yueshen coaxed her into taking a few more bites. Seeing that she really didn't want any more, he quickly scarfed down the rest himself and threw the containers in the trash.

The next day, after a check-up confirmed everything was fine, Si Nian was discharged from the hospital.

The woman in the adjacent bed watched as she happily carried her son away, and a wave of sorrow welled up in her heart.

Ever since her husband and mother-in-law left, they hadn't returned.

She secretly turned her head away to wipe her tears, only to feel her daughter's tiny hand grasp hers.

Her daughter was wrinkled and not pretty at all. She had seen Si Nian's son; he was fair and chubby, a clear sign that the mother was well-nourished during pregnancy.

But no matter how good he was, he belonged to someone else. Yesterday, because the pregnant woman in the same ward had given birth to a son, she had been full of resentment toward her own daughter, not even wanting to spare her a second glance.

Yet now, in her most difficult moment, the only one by her side was this little girl.

Even ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‍though she hadn't wanted her, the baby was completely oblivious, and looking up at her, actually smiled.

A deep wave of guilt suddenly washed over the woman, and overcome with sorrow, she pulled her daughter into her arms and burst into tears.